Improvement in sulkies



J. JENKINS.

Su1ky. v No. 10 ,911. v Patented Nov. 1, 1870.

N. PETERS, PMOTD-LITMOGRAPHEJI, WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE JENKINS, OF SLIGO, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN SULKIES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 108,911, dated November 1, 1870.

. part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represeuts'a top view of sulk y embracing my improvements. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section, and Fig. 3 a similar section, taken in front of the hinges of the seat-frame.

My improvements relate to the manner of mounting and hinging the seat-frame so as to.

be adjusted to suit the height of the horse, and also to the manner of converting the vehicle from a road-sulky to a track-sulk y, whereby the seat-frame may be either made to spring, or be entirely rigid, at pleasure.

The accompanying drawings represent a sulky in which A are the carrying-wheels, B the axle, and O the shafts, which may be made in any suitable manner. The shafts are fixed directly to the axle, and are curved upward therefrom. The seatD is supported by aframe, E, which is preferably of a horseshoe shape, hinged at each side to thecross-bar of the shafts O by means of metallic slides a, fitted vertically into guides b secured to said cross-bar, so as to be raised and lowered and clamped, when adjusted, by'set-screws c, passing through holes in the guides and slides in any suitable way. By this means the seat-frame can be kept level by adjusting it to suit the height of the horse, which is very advantageous insulkies. The seat frame is supported upon the axle B by a spring, F, which is secured to the axle and a cross-bar, G, of said seat frame, and the seat is arranged just above the axle. By this arrangement the seat-frame can spring up and down withoutinterfering with the shafts. The seatframe being hinged atopposite points to the shafts, is thereby braced laterally, so that it cannothavetheleastsidemotion,whileitisentirely free to spring up and down. This method of supporting and bracing the seat frame enables me to have it independent of the shafts, and to use, in connection with said frame, a single spring parallel with the axle, instead of one at each end thereof.

The sulky thus described has an easy springseat adapted for traveling over roads; but by a very simple device 1 can convert it into a trackrsulky, and render it as effectual as such as if it were made without spring, as required for the track. This I accomplish by an arm, I, pivoted to the axle, so as to beralsedto a vertical position in order to lock it with the upper cross-bar, G, of the seat-frame, and thusrende'r the seat-frame perfectly rigid. In the instance shown this is done by forming a screw-thread on the end of said arm I, so as to enter a female screw-thread in a short arm, 61, on the seat-frame, and for this purpose the lockingarm is also swiveled, so as to be turned to screw and unscrew it with the screw-nut of the seatframe. When unlocked from the spring, as a road-sulky, the arm is turned down, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and sustained by a hook.

Instead-of a single central locking-arm, each side of the seat-frame may be fastened to the axle by similar or other convenient means.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 7 1. A sulky having its sea t-framc E arranged and supported so that it may at pleasure be converted from a spring to a rigid seat to adapt it as a road or track sulky, as described.

2. The swiveled locking-arm l, in combination witli the spring seat-frame'E, for the purpose de'sdribed.

3. The seat frame E, hinged to the shafts at opposite points, so as to serve as lateral braces to said frame, as described.-

4. The seat-frame E, hinged to the shafts,so as to be adjusted vertically to suit heights of horses, as described.

5. The combination of the seat-frame E, the I spring F, and the locking-arm I, the several parts being arranged and operating as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

A. E. H. J oHNsoN, T. H. UPPERMAN.

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